Osborne, Ryan, White and Zoerner Claim US Cross National Titles

The revelation of the day was the performance of the top two 15-16 women, who after starting approximately one minute after the 17-18 women in a combined race, eventually passed the entire field of older competitors. Reigning national champion Sarah Huang (Planet Bike) went off hard from the gun, but was chased down by Corrie Osborne (Nova Cycle Sports Foundation Inc.). Osborne held off Huang to cross the line ahead of both sets of fields and earn the Stars-and-Stripes jersey.

“Amazing.” replied a smiling Osborne minutes after winning her first ever National title. She finished fourth last year. “It’s been great riding with Sarah, she’s just amazing and racing with her is awesome.”

Corrie Osborne (Nova Cycle Sports Foundation Inc.) wins her first Cross National Title

Huang had a faster start and quickly made her way to the 17/18 field all the way up to Alexis Ryan while Osborne dieseled her way up.

“I’m better at long distances, Sarah is really the fast effort person, which is why the course is more suited to her because we’re only going 30 minutes. The longer the race, the better I do in it and I usually have the same pace throughout it. Sarah started fast and started slowing down at the end of the second lap and I was going the same speed the whole race so I managed to catch her again. ” Osborne explained.

Osborne caught up to Huang and Ryan “on the road going up to the off-camber in the back, and then just drafter her through it.” Then both Huang and Osborne passed Ryan. “We passed her on the off camber because she took the worst line, she went way up it instead of going straight through it and then we passed her and we just held the lead.”

A bit later Osborne made her move to take the front which she held until the finish. “I was riding Sarah’s wheel and then I passed her on the runup and then I just didn’t let go of the lead.”

Alexis Ryan (The Team Socalcross) took home her third national championship after dominating the 17-18 women’s race. “I knew if I went fast enough I could hopefully drop everyone, so that’s what I did,” explained Ryan, whose sister Kendall is also a multi-time national champ.